Iron woman Tara Coleman is the latest sporting identity to join the collection of rugby league and media personalities who will take ‘small steps’, albeit lots of them, when they walk from Heathcote to Remondis Stadium tomorrow night in support of injured former NYC player and Cronulla local junior Kurt Drysdale.
'Small Steps for Kurt' has been organised by ex-Sharks first grade player Alan Wilson with the assistance of the Men of League Foundation, and will see the likes of Andrew Johns, Andrew Ettingshausen, Ben Ross, Daryl Brohman and Robbie Kearns make the walk, to raise funds for the Unite for Kurt campaign.
Some will walk the whole distance, others segments of it, with the walk commencing at Heathcote at 8.30am and concluding at Remondis Stadium just prior to Monday’s kick off.
It will take in most of the major Sutherland Shire retail precincts, high schools and business districts, with bucket collections and donations encouraged and accepted along the way.
Blind athlete Nathan Johnston, who recently qualified to compete in the Hawaii Ironman, to be escorted by his ‘pilot’ Glenn Gorrick, will also accompany the group for the walk on Monday.
Small Steps for Kurt see the Sharks join with the rugby league community in throwing their support behind Drysdale, a former NYC player and local junior who suffered a life changing injury recently which has left him as a quadriplegic
Drysdale played for the Cronulla Caringbah club and the Sharks Matthews Cup and SG Ball teams before graduating to the Holden Cup under-20’s squad. He was injured earlier this year playing for Cabramatta in the Sydney Shield competition.
He remains in Royal North Shore Hospital where he is receiving around the clock treatment.
The Sharks round 23 Monday Night Football match against Melbourne will be dedicated to Unite For Kurt, with fundraising initiatives to take place at the game, while all matches in the NSWRL Ron Massey Cup and Sydney Shield Cup competitions on the 15th and 16th August will also make up the Unite For Kurt round.
There is also a special ticket for Monday night’s game, with $5 from pre-purchased tickets going to the Unite for Kurt fund.
The Small Steps for Kurt walkers also encourage #smallstepsforKurtselfies. Come and get a selfie with one or more of the celebrity walkers and share through social media channels in an effort to raise awareness for the Unite for Kurt campaign.
Small Steps for Kurt walkers
Included amongst the rugby league and media identities expected to be a part of the walk are as follows; Andrew Ettingshausen, Andrew Johns, Darryl Brohman, Robbie Kearns, Ben Ross, Stuart Raper, Chris Quinn, Jeff Hardy, Aaron Raper, Corey Hughes, Glenn Coleman, Nathan Brown, Adam Peek, Bryan Norrie, Phil Rothfield David Riccio, Steve Hart.
The following times for the walk on Monday are approximate.
Walk commence 8:30am at Heathcote
Heathcote retail precinct - 8:35 - 8:45
Engadine retail precinct - 9:15 - 9:40.
Sutherland retail precinct - 9:55 - 10:25
Kirrawee retail precinct - 10:45 - 10:55
(Sutherland Holden - 11:15 - 11:20)
Gymea retail precinct - 11:40 12:10
Miranda retail precinct - 12:30 - 1:45
Caringbah Supa Centre precinct - Endeavour High 2:20 - 2:50
Caringbah central retail precinct - 3:30 - 3:55
Cronulla St retail precinct - 4:40 - 5:25
Woolooware retail precinct - 5:45 - 6:00
Remondis Stadium - 6:20
Look out on Monday for the Sutherland Holden 'Unite for Kurt' support vehicle.
